One of the great hallmarks of classic Florida cookery is the pairing of its celebrated citrus and abundant local fish. This was especially true in the old resort towns along the east coast - now hidden in the folds of multi-story condos and colorful townhomes - where the fruit began to come into season just as the snowbirds arrived to escape the harsh winters of the Northeast and play in the sunshine. An especially delicious example is Sautéed Fish Fillets Palm Beach, which is really nothing more than an adaptation of a French classic - sole à la meunière, which is whole or filleted sole sautéed in clarified butter. It’s a recipe I found in one of my mother-in-law’s cookbooks. She was a Florida girl, born and raised, and the cover of that cookbook is now missing after years of use. I believe it was from a Junior League cookbook, though.

The twist on this recipe is a refreshing lift provided by a finish topping of fresh grapefruit and orange sections. It’s the kind of simple, elegant fare that graced the elite tables of Palm Beach in its heyday as a jazz-age resort, and it might well have been served at Whitehall, the mansion that was the winter home of Henry Flagler, the industrialist who built Florida’s east coast railroad. So far, though, I’ve not been able to trace it back any further than Irma Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking, the classic chronicle of 20th-century American cookery. My copy is stained from years of use, mostly referring to technique rather than actual recipes.

The recipe for this dish, though, goes back to the sixth edition from around 1946, according to a footnote in my mother-in-law’s cookbook. Well, never mind all that; its provenance doesn’t really matter at the table. What does matter is that it’s simple to make, elegant in its presentation, and, most importantly, delicious. It’s an especially lovely way to prepare seasonal Pompano filets or, if you can’t get them, snapper or grouper fillets. Here’s my own interpretation, in which the pan “gravy” is enriched with a little of the fresh grapefruit juice.

Palm Beach Sauteed Fish Filets

• 1 large pink grapefruit
• 1 large navel orange
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 4 5-ounce Pompano filets (snapper or grouper may be substituted)
• Salt and white pepper
• All-purpose flour
• 2-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits
• 2 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley, divided

Cut the tops and bottoms from the grapefruit and, holding the fruit over a bowl to catch the juice, peel it with a paring knife, cutting all the way through the connective membranes to the inner flesh. With a sharp knife, separate the sections from their membrane and add them to their collected juices. Over a separate bowl, peel and section the orange in the same way and add the sectioned fruit to the bowl with the grapefruit. Set the orange juice aside for another use. Melt the butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Pat the fish filets dry and season lightly with salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. When the butter is hot, lightly dust both sides with flour and slip them into the pan. Fry, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, one to two minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove the fish to a warm platter or serving plates and alternately arrange the grapefruit and orange sections on top, allowing three or four per serving.

Return the pan to the heat, add the reserved grapefruit juice, stirring and scraping to loosen any cooking residue and bring it to a boil. Let it reduce slightly, then turn off the heat. Stir in half the parsley and whisk in two to four tablespoons of cold butter. Pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve at once.
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Contact Anne Braly at apbraly@gmail.com or annebraly.com.

As the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers disappear from our refrigerators and pantries, it suddenly seems that what’s left of the year is hurtling away as if it has been greased by turkey fat. Not only are our days shortening, we’re ushering in our biggest - and longest - season of feasting.

Unfortunately, for all too many, it’s also the most frantic. People who never entertain suddenly start knocking themselves out to do so, busying around their homes dusting off the dining table, digging out the holiday china, polishing Grandma’s silver. Is this you?

Folks who never cook will actually open cookbooks, pore over cooking magazines, and don aprons they’ve not worn since last December, if ever. If you’re one of those people, it’s probably not helpful to point out that this would all seem a lot less overwhelming and stressful if you just did it more often. Just saying. Still, that might be something to think about adding to your new year’s resolutions.

When you’re around the table this holiday season, instead of trying to impress with volume, focus on being bountiful. What I mean by that is it’s better to offer a few dishes that you know you can handle, preparing them carefully and presenting them in generous portions, than to over-reach with a lot of different things that might be beyond your ability.

In short, if you never cook, this is not the time to try to tackle Beef Wellington for 25 or even lobster thermidor for four. With that in mind, this pork tenderloin is easy and makes a lovely main dish that’s simple enough for even a novice cook but fancy enough to impress without fail. The only tricky thing is the prosciutto wrapping. If you really find that complicated, then keep everything else that you offer simple.

Pork tenderloins are the same cut as beef filet, but are a lot more affordable when there’s a crowd to feed. I’m sure you’ve seen the price of beef lately. Just like their bovine counterpart, pork tenderloins are lean and always tender, but also the least flavorful part of the animal. They’re also prone to be dry when mishandled. These shortcomings are easily corrected by simply wrapping them with prosciutto, which coaxes out and enhances its natural flavor and helps keep it from drying out should it be left in the oven a bit too long while you’re scurrying about getting your house in order.

A very Merry Christmas to you all!


Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Tenderloins

• 1 pair pork tenderloins, about 2-2 1/2
• pounds
• Olive oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• 10-12 very thin slices Italian prosciutto
• 1 cup dry white vermouth
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 lemons, each cut into 8 wedges

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 425 degrees. Rub the tenderloins lightly with oil. Sprinkle the entire surface with pepper, rosemary and garlic, then pat it in. Wrap the tenderloins with prosciutto, completely covering them, and secure it in place by tying it with twine.

Rub a roasting pan with oil, put in the tenderloins, and drizzle them with oil. Roast 20 minutes and reduce the heat to 350 degrees, then roast until the meat reaches desired internal temperature, around 135 degrees for medium. It will continue cooking as it rests about 15-20 minutes longer.

Remove the tenderloins to a platter, loosely cover with foil, and let them rest 15 minutes. Put the roasting pan over direct medium heat, add the vermouth and bring it boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Boil until it’s reduced by half and lightly thickened. Add any accumulated juices from the platter, let it get hot again, and turn off heat. Swirl or whisk in the butter. Pour the gravy into a warm bowl or sauceboat. Thinly slice the tenderloins, garnish with lemons and serve with the sauce passed separately. Makes six to eight servings.
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Contact Anne Braly at apbraly@gmail.com or annebraly.com